While Ren had quickly fallen asleep, Tsubaki was still wide awake. Part of it was because this was her first time sleeping close to a man. The other part was because of what Grandma Fuse had told her.
Tsubaki assessed her husband's sleeping face. He looked so peaceful when he slept, exuding innocence like a child unlike his usual cold exterior. His hands on her waist, she couldn't move much.
"I will remember you again. I promise." She whispered in the silence of the night.
Leaning against his chest, she closed her eyes. He was a good guy. She shouldn't push him away because of her insecurities. After her breath turned steady in rhythm, the man opened his eyes. His dark eyes fall on her sleeping face. A smile graced his thin lips. As if the spring had came to thaw the long winter, he felt warm.
"And I will love you, for it to remain even after my last breath."
Caressing her cheek, he couldn't marvel at how much being next to her made him felt surreal, as if it was a dream he didn't want to be woken up for eternity. Closing his eyes, he tightened his embrace.
Morning came. Ren was still sleeping when Tsubaki woke up. It was hard to get off the bed when his arms were still around her waist. After a few attempts, she managed to slip off. She washed up and went straight to the kitchen.
"First Madam, what are you doing here?" Old Yuuzo was assessing the staffs in the kitchen when she walked in.
"Do you need help? Actually I want to cook something for breakfast." Tsubaki smiled to the kitchen staffs who greeted her respectfully.
"We have almost done, First Madam." The head chef chimed in. "But if you want, you could make the rolled omelette."
"Okay!" Tsubaki immediately agreed.
The head butler wanted to object but after seeing his young madam's happy face, he abandoned the idea. The bulky head chef secretly winked to the old man.
The breakfast menu at the old house was quite simple despite its high quality ingredients, like any common breakfast one could find served in the morning. Grilled salmon, vegetables, natto and miso soup with tofu. Tsubaki skillfully handled the rectangular pan after whisking the eggs.
"Does grandma likes her omelette sweet?" Tsubaki glanced at Old Yuuzo who stood behind her.
"Yes. The old madam prefers it sweet."
Tsubaki put some sugar in the bowl of eggs. As the head butler had permitted the kitchen staffs to got eat their breakfast, only he and the head chef remained in the kitchen. Both of them were watching their new young madam rolling the omelette using wooden chopsticks.
Looking at the golden brown colour of the rolled omelette, the head chef whistled in amusement. "By seeing how you handle it, I know you're a good cook, First Madam. I even saw your cakes yesterday. The texture was soft."
Tsubaki chuckled. "Thank you. My mom urged me to learn cooking since elementary school. She said it was a basic survival skill."
"A survival skill to catch our master's heart." The head chef crossed his arms, smiling teasingly. "I get it, I get it."
Tsubaki smiled bashfully. She continued rolling the omelette. After it was done, she let it cool for a few minutes before cutting it into pieces. The maids had started bringing the dishes to the dining room.
As Tsubaki followed them from behind, she met Ren who was stepping off the last stairs. His face lit up once he saw her. He had changed out of his pajamas, now wearing a set of white home clothes.
"Morning, honey." Ren came nearer and landed a kiss on her forehead, making the maids wide-eyed at his PDA.
"Morning... hubby." Tsubaki mumbled, feeling shy as she still wasn't used to it. But she didn't pull away from him. She just needed some time to adjust to her married life.
Both of them just sat on the chairs when Old Madam Fuse entered with Old Yuuzo and the head maid behind her. She looked happy, unlike the last night when Tsubaki sent her to her room.
"Good morning, grandma." Ren and Tsubaki greeted the old lady. Grandma Fuse took her seat and looked at the dishes.
"I head that you made the tamagoyaki, my dear Little Tsubaki." Grandma Fuse looked adoringly to her.
"I could cook for you some other time, grandma." Tsubaki offered with a smile. Her heart felt warm with the old lady's acceptance of her into her family.
"I'd love to!" The old lady was overjoyed. "Let's eat! Little Ren needs to go to the company, right?"
"I have a meeting at noon." Ren confirmed with a nod.
Matsuzaki had been calling him for a few times already, almost crying when he didn't show up for work in the last few days. The poor assistant thought he would ditch the meeting as well.
What did he take his boss for?
After their breakfast, Grandma Fuse reluctantly let them went home. She hugged Tsubaki tightly before Ren coaxed her with a promise to visit the old house soon.
"If I can't finish my meeting earlier, Hibiki will take you home." Ren parked his car on the opposite site of the road.
"Okay." Tsubaki nodded. "Hope your meeting goes well, Mr. President. You're the main earner from now on."
Ren chuckled. He cupped her cheeks and kissed both of her eyes. Pulling away slightly, he said in a low voice, "I will work harder for you, my dear. Let's eat dinner together, okay?"
Tsubaki's face was already flushed with her husband's sneak attack. She nodded. "Okay. I'll cook for you."
Tsubaki alighted the car. She looked at either side, as a precaution. But the road in the shop district was often empty at this time. She quickly ran to the other side.
As she stepped in the middle of the road, a black van appeared out of nowhere. Hearing the speeding sound growing louder, Tsubaki's eyes widened in shock. She froze, eyes watching the van.
Ren froze too when he saw the scene. When he saw the body lying on the road, he felt his world crumbled.